Southern California -- this just in

Amanda Bynes not asked for driver's license in latest traffic stop

September 10, 2012 | 6:43
pm

Actress Amanda Bynes' BMW was stopped Sunday evening because its lights were not on, but officers never asked for her driver's license, which has been suspended after a series of driving-related charges.

Los Angeles police officers stopped Bynes in the Hollywood area and informed her she was driving without lights after dark, police said. LAPD Lt. Andrew Nieman said the officers informed Bynes for safety purposes and are not required in such cases to ask for or to run a driver's license. They did not do so in this case, he said.

Bynes is facing a drunk driving charge after hitting a Los Angeles County sheriff's cruiser April 6 in West Hollywood. After two more charges of hit-and-run were filed this week, Bynes' driver's license was suspended, officials with the state Department of Motor Vehicles said. DMV officials would not state the specific reason for the suspension and it is unclear when it took effect.

In the April 6 incident, the 26-year-old actress was arrested about 3 a.m. after authorities said her black BMW struck the rear corner of the sheriff's vehicle. She was charged with driving under the influence after she refused a Breathalyzer or blood-alcohol test.

She subsequently denied the allegations on Twitter: "I can't help but laugh at all of you writing fake stories about me," she tweeted May 27. "I was not in any hit and runs. I don't drink so the DUI is false." She pleaded not guilty to the charge through her attorney.

But the Los Angeles city attorney last week charged her in two separate hit-and-run incidents on April 10 and Aug. 4.

In the August incident, a motorist said a vehicle driven by Bynes rear-ended and damaged her Toyota on Ventura Boulevard, LAPD sources said. The driver said Bynes stopped only briefly, declared there was no damage and drove off.

The woman told investigators that her car was damaged and that Bynes failed to provide insurance information or allow police to be called before she left, Neiman said.

Bynes told investigators she and the woman mutually agreed there was no significant damage after the low-speed collision, police said.

Neiman said investigators determined that the Toyota had about $800 in damage, and that the actress did not notify police or exchange insurance information as required by law.

Following her initial DUI charge, Bynes sent a message to President Obama on Twitter. "Hey @BarackObama ... I don't drink," read the tweet on the actress' verified Twitter account. "Please fire the cop who arrested me. I also don't hit and run. The end."